Automatic timer



4942- w. P. GALLAGHER ETAL 2,302,626

AUTOMATIC TIMER.

' Filed Aug. 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1942. w. P. GALLAGHER ETAL 2,302,626

' AUTOMATIC TIMER Filed Aug 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'o 17,1 42. w. P. GALLAGHER Em 2,302,626

AUTOMATIC TIMER Filed Aug. 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 17, 1942. w. P. GALLAGHER ETI'AL, 2,302,626

KUTOMATIC TIMER Filed Aug. :5, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mzm wr WWI/f w 75 55 mam? 4 M4 74 MW r Q E @19 g i S k w E ZWVWZ 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1942- w. P. GALLAGHER. ETAL AUTOMATIC TIMER F'il ed Aug. 3. 1940 I Patented Nov. 17, 1942 AUTOMATIC TIMER William P. Gallagher, Chicago, and Alfred W. Gardes, Wilmette, 11]., assignors to International Register Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,980

19 Claims.

The present invention relates to timing apparatus for governing the starting, stopping and sequence of operations in a. machine or system, where these operations are adapted to occur more or less automatically. Our improved timer has been devised primarily for controlling automatic washing machines, and many features of the construction are concerned essentially or fundamentally with the requirements of these washing machines. However, various features of the invention are also applicable. to other machines for other uses.

One of the features of the invention is the provision of an improved manually actuated control which provides for the several functions of initiating the operation of the timer, affording an emergency stop for the washing machine, modifying the ccle of the timer by shortening or eliminating one ormore steps in the cycle, restorin the timer to normal if a mistake has been made, etc. This manually actuated control operates an improved arrangement of master switch which is caused to move to open circuit position automatically-before the manually actuated control can become effective to perform the above operations. Said master switch is arranged to interrupt all or the majority of the control circuits during the manipulation of the manually actuated control so that the actuation of said control to a more advanced position in the cycle will not result in a disorganized orinterfering sequence of steps in the washing machine. will be understood that these successive steps include the spraying of the water into the washing machine, the rotation of the cylinder or other element which serves to wash the clothes, the spinning of the clothes to discharge the water therefrom, the rinsing of the clothes, etc.

Another feature of the invention pertains to the manner in which the slow moving, time driven rotor of the apparatus successively closes and opens the various control circuits which govern the above steps of spraying the water, rotating the clothes, etc. Bearing against this time driven rotor are a plurality of contact fingers which govern the several control circuits, and the rotor comprises insulating areas and conducting areas which successively travel under said contact fingers. In the closing of each circuit, a quick make is obtained by providing apertures in the insulating areas through which the contact fingers snap with a quick drop down upon the associated conducting areas. Similarly, in interrupting the circuit, a quick break is obtained by providing aper tures in the conducting areas through which the contact fingers snap with a quick drop down into open circuit positions in said apertures. In one embodiment of the inventioma raised hump is formed in the rotor conducting area at the leading edge of each circuit breakin aperture, whereby to establish a circuit breaking gap between the contact finger and said conducting plate without the necessity of having the contact finger move down into a cavity lying below the underside of the conductingplate.

Another feature of the invention pertains to an improved manner of effecting reversals in one of-more of the circuit connections. For example, it may be desired to intermittently reverse the rotation of the cylinder in the washing of the clothes; or it may be desired to rotate the cylinder in one direction for the washing of the clothes and to rotate it in the opposite direction for the spinning of the clothes. Such is preferably effected by reversing the electric motor which drives the cylinder. In such embodiment of our improved timing apparatus as provides for this reversal, we employ a construction in which a contact finger at one side of the rotor moves substantially entirely through the rotor for engaging a conducting plate at the opposite side of the rotor, and, similarly, a conducting finger at this opposite side of the rotor moves substan tially entirely through the rotor for engaging a conducting plate at the first side of the rotor.

f-Ihe above mentioned features and advantages are obtained in a relatively simple construction of timer, which can be manufactured at relatively low cost, and which is very compact in size. Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detail' description ofv two preferred embodiments thereof. In the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiments:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of our improved timer, with typical circuit connections diagrammatically indicated thereon;

Figure 2 is a vertical axial sectional view thereof taken approximately on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and illustrating the switching functions performed by the rear side of the rotor;

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and illustrating the switching functions performed by the front side of the rotor;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the ratchet drive mechanism, taken approximately on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing one of the ratchet teeth and one of the ratchet sockets of the drive mechanism shown in Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the adjusting knob and the adjusting ratchet mechanism;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 7;

FigureQ is a fragmentary developed section showing the operating relation between the insulating disks and the conducting disks of the rotor v and the contact fingers bearing thereon;

Figure 10 is a chart showing one typical timing cycle of the embodiment of automatic timer shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of another embodiment of improved timer, also shown with typical circuit connections diagrammatically indicated thereon;

Figures 12 and 13 are fragmentary side views of the timer on a larger scale as viewed from the planes of the lines l2-I2 and l3l3 of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a schematic view representing two developed sections on different radii of the rotor, and showing the electrical connections of the drive motor for effecting automatic reversals thereof; and

Figure 15 is a chart showing a typical timing cycle of the latter embodiment of automatic timer.

Referring first to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, etc., the rotor, contact fingers and related parts are assembled between front and rear frame plates 2| and 22 which may be of any desired form, the rear plate 22 having apertured cars 23 (Figure 1) for receiving mounting screws or bolts by which the unit is secured to the washing machine. Upper and lower insulating blocks 24 and 25 are disposed between the frame plates 2| and 22 for mounting the contact fingers which bear on the rotor, these insulating blocks being secured to the rear frame plate 22 by screws 26 (Figure 3), and the front frame plate 2| being secured in turn to these mounting blocks by the screws 21 (Figure 2).

The rotor is adapted to be driven at a slow timed rate by an electrical motor 3i which is mounted on the rear side of the rear frame plate 22. This'motor is preferably an alternating current synchronous motor oi the general type commonly used in electric clocks, although it will be understood that any other type of electric motor may be used. The particular motor unit shown includes speed reducing gearing enclosed within a housing 32 at the front end of the motor, this housing being secured in turn to a cup-shaped housing 33 which is fastened to the back side of the frame plate 22. The speed reducing gearing drives the pinion 34 which is disposed within the housing 33 and which drives a large spur gear 35 mounted on the rotor drive shaft 35. Said shaft is supported in a main bearing 31 which is fixedly secured to the rear supporting plate 22. The spur gear 35 is capable of rotation on the shaft 35, the latter being driven from the gear through the instrumentality of ratchet mechanism which transmits a positive drive from the gear to the shaft in a forward direction but which also permits the shaft 36 to be manually advanced in a forward direction beyond the rotation of the gear 35. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, this ratchet mechanism comprises a ring of substantially rectangular apertures 38 formed in the spur gear 35. Rigidly secured to the shaft 36 is a spiderstructure comprising a plurality of resilient spider arms 39 having rearwardly bent extremities which function as ratchet teeth 33. As shown in Figure 6, the clockwise rotation of the spur gear 35 is continuously transmitted to the spider structure 33 through the right angle shoulders 38a of the apertures 33 abutting against the right angle shoulders 40a of the spider teeth 40. The opposite edge of each aperture 33 is formed with a sloping surface 33b, and the correspondingly disposed edge of each ratchet tooth 40 is similarly formed with a sloping surface 4022. In consequence of this arrangement, the rotor drive shaft 35 and spider 39 can be rotated forwardly in a clockwise direction at any time with respect to the spur gear 35, the spider teeth 40 merely snapping into and out of the successive apertures 38 as the resilient spider arms move across the face of the spur gear. An extremely fine tooth ratcheting action can be obtained by employing an even number of teeth on one element and an odd number of teeth on the other element; for example, in the exemplary arrangement illustrated the spider structure 39 has eight equally spaced spider arms, whereas the spur gear 35 has twenty-three equally spaced apertures for receiving these spider arms, the resulting arrangement being comparable to a vernier so that at least one ratchet tooth is engaging in one ratchet aperture substantially at all times.

Mounted on the shaft 36 at the front end of the main bearing 31 is the rotor ll which performs the timed switching operations. This rotor is preferably of the disk type, although it might be of drum formation or some other formation, if desired. The rotor comprises two conducting disks 2 and 33 which are axially spaced from each other, as shown in Figure 2. Disposed on the front side of the front conducting disk 32 is an insulating disk 44, and disposed on the back side of the rear conducting disk 43 is an insulating disk 45. The two metallic disks 42 and 43 are joined together in conducting relation by transversely extending connector pins or studs 36 which have reduced ends riveted in apertures in the two disks. The two metallic disks and the two insulating disks are mounted on a hub structure comprising a flanged bushing 43 and an insulating ring 49, the ring encircling the bushing and serving to space the front disks from the rear disks. A set screw 5| passes through the insulating ring 49 and bushing hub 43 for securing the rotor assembly to the shaft 35. The manner in which the contact fingers cooperate with the circuit making slots of the insulating disks 44-45, and cooperate with the circuit breaking slots of the conducting disks l2 and 43, will be hereinafter described, following a description of the manually actuated control and the master switch responsive thereto.

The manually actuated control comprises fundamentally the control knob 52 and the parts actuated thereby. This knob is mounted for rotative and sliding movement on a sleeve 33 which is secured over a reduced portion of the shaft 36. A nut 54 screwing over a threaded extremity of the shaft serves to clamp the sleeve 53 tothe shaft, and also serves as an end stop for limiting outward shifting movement of the knob 52 along the sleeve. Rotative motion can ,only be transmitted from the knob 52 to the shaft 36 after the knob 52 has been thrust inwardly a predetermined distance (adequate to open the master switch), and, thereupon, the knob 52 is only operative to transmit clockwise motion to the shaft 36, such as results in the spider teeth 40 snapping into and out of the driving apertures 38. Such is accomplished through a ratchet clutch mechanism comprising a clutch plate 56 carried by the knob 52, and a cooperating clutch plate 51 carried by the shaft 36. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the plate 56 is secured by spurs, screws or any other desired means to the back side of the knob 52. Projecting rearwardly from diametrically opposite points of the clutch plate 56 are two clutch teeth 59. These clutch teeth are adapted to engage in notches 6| formed around the periphery of the other clutch plate 51. It will be noted that the clutch teeth or lugs 59 have right angle front edges which are capable of transmitting a positive drive to the notches 6| when the knob 52 is turned in a clockwise direction, but have sloping rear edges which will force themselves out of the notches 6| if it is attempted to rotate the shaft 36 in a counterclockwise direction through said knob. The clutch plate 51 is rigidly secured to the shaft 36 in any preferred manner, such as by rigidly clamping the central portion thereof between lock washers 62 which are compressed against an annular shoulder on the shaft 36 by the sleeve 53. A pointer 64 projects radially from the clutch plate 51 for cooperating with indicia 65 on a dial or cover plate 66, whereby to indicate the angular position that the rotor is in during each moment of its cycle. a

A switch actuating sleeve 61 is mounted for sliding movement on the shaft 36 in rear of the clutch disk 51, this switch actuating member having three angularly spaced arms 68 (Figure 8) which project forwardly through slots cut in the clutch disk 51, and which are adapted to abut against the rear side of the other clutch plate 56. Thus, rearward shifting movement imparted to the knob 52 for the purpose of engaging the two clutch members 56 and 51 transmits rearward shifting movement to the switch operating sleeve 61. This rearward shifting motion is in turn transmitted through an insulating bushing H to a cupped form of disk 12 which constitutes one of the switch elements of the aforementioned master switch. As shown in Figure 4, the periphery of this cupped disk is slotted radially to form a plurality of segments 13 which give the disk a snap action when flexed back and forth in an axial direction. One of the segments is extended outwardly beyond the periphery of the disk, in the form of a switch arm 14, which carries the movable contact 15 of the master switch, the side margins of this switch arm 14 being bent forwardly as stiffening flanges. The cooperating stationary contact 16 of the master switch is carried by a stationary terminal clip 11 which is mounted on the front side of the lower insulating block 25. The movable switch arm 14 is confined against lateral shifting by two lugs 18 which project upwardly from the clip 11 and which carry short lengths of insulating tubing 19 disposed in position to be engaged by the side edges of the switch arm As shown in Figure 2, the insulating bushing 15 and the snap disk 12 are mounted for back and forth movement along an insulating sleeve 81 surrounding the shaft 36. The peripheral seements 13 of the snap disk 12 have their outer edges bearing against a current transmitting ring 83 which has electrical attachment to the front conducting disk 42. An inwardly projecting flange at the front end of the ring 83 affords the seating surface against which the disk 12 bears. Lugs or spurs 84 project from the rear edge of the ring through apertures in the disks 42 and 44, these lugs being soldered or otherwise secured to the conducting disk 42. The terminal clip 11 is adapted to be connected with one side of the supply line, and when so connected it will be seen that current will be conducted through the contact points 1615 of the master switch and through the snap disk 12 and conducting ring 83 to the two conducting disks 42 and 43 of the rotor. This connection between the two rotor disks and one side of the supply line will be continuously maintained at all times, until the knob 52 is thrust inwardly for performing a manual setting of the rotor 4|, which inward thrusting movement of the knob immediately opens the master switch 15 and 16 so that the line connection is interrupted before the knob is mechanically coupled to the rotor. The resiliency of the cupped disk 12 restores the parts to normal position when the knob 52 is released.

In the embodiment now being described, the spring contact fingers which bear against the rotor 4| are arranged in front and rear groups, the front group being mounted on the front sides of the insulating blocks 24 and 25, these bearing against the upper and lower halves of the front face of the rotor, the rear group being mounted on the back sides of the insulating blocks 24 and 25, these fingers bearing against the upper and lower halves of the back face of the rotor. All of the front contact fingers track on different radii of the front rotor elements 42, 44, and all of the rear contact fingers track on different radii of the rear rotor elements 43, 45. The above described arrangement enables a rotor of relatively small size to perform a large number of switching operations, and enables a large number of contact fingers to be employed at closely spaced radii without having mechanical or electrical interference between the fingers. In the construction illustrated, there are five radially spaced paths or trackways available at each side of the rotor, against which said contact fingers can bear. Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4, a back contact finger 9| secured to the back side of the upper block 24 bears against the upper back side of the rotor, this finger riding on the second circular track (as measured outwardly from the center of the rotor). Two lower contact fingers 92 and 93 are secured to the back side of the lower block 25, the finger 92 riding on the first or innermost trackway, and the finger 93 riding on the middle trackway. Referring to Figure 4, a front lower contact spring 94 is secured to the front side of the lower block 25 and bears against the front side of the rotor on the innermost track. Two upper front contact springs 95 and 96 are secured to the front side of the upper block 24, the contact spring 95 bearing against the fourth track, and the contact spring 96 bearing against the second track. Two cooperating contact fingers 91a, 9122 are secured to the front side of the lower block 25 and bear against the front side of the rotor, the finger 91a bearing against the fifth or outermost track, and the contact finger 91b bearing against the middle or third track. These two contact fingers are connected by a jumper bar 99 which maintains a permanent electrical connection between the two fingers. The object of this arrangement of two fingers is to obtain either a make and break or a break and make with a very short time intervening. Referring back to Figure 3, a contact finger 98 is secured to the back side of the lower block 25 and bears against the back side of the rotor, riding on the outermost or fifth track. Each of the above described contact fingers is secured to its respective insulating block 24 or 25 by any suitable attaching screws IOI, these screws also serving to connect the conductors with the contact fingers in the wiring of the device. The contact fingers are set into slots or recesses I02 formed in the mounting blocks 24 and 25. It will be understood that a greater or lesser number of contact fingers may be employed, depending upon the operating requirements of the particular washing machine.

Figure 9 is a developed sectional view on an enlarged scale, corresponding to a section taken on the plane of the line 99 of Figures 3 and 4. This figure shows the contact finger 96 having just broken circuit with the front conducting disk 42, and shows the contact finger 9I having just made circuit with the back conducting disk 43, such corresponding to that point in the operating cycle indicated by the transverse line X-X in Figure 10. Each contact finger comprises an inclined cam portion I terminating in a contact shoe or extremity I 06. The switching operations are achieved by providing arcuate slots or apertures in the insulating disks 44, -45'and in the conducting disks 42, 43, into which slots or apertures the contact fingers are adapted to drop during the time driven rotation of 'the rotor. The apertures I01 out in the insulating disks 44, 45 function as circuit-making apertures, since they permit the contact fingers to drop off the insulating material downwardly into circuit closing engagement with the conducting disks 42, 43. The apertures I08 which are out into the conducting disks 42, 43 function as circuit-breaking apertures since they permit the contact fingers to move downwardly out of engagement with the conducting disks. It will be noted that in each instance the making of the circuit and the breaking of the circuit is performed with a quick spring snap motion, notwithstanding the extremely slow rotative movement of the rotor 4|. This is of particular advantage in the circuit breaking function, where arcing conditions are most likely to arise. It will be observed from the position of contact finger 98 in Figure 9 that the shoe extremity I06 moves entirely down through the circuit breaking aperture I08 to a position below the under or inner plane of the conducting disk, whereby a substantial air gap I05 is abruptly interposed between the contact finger and the conducting disk in the circuit breaking operation. In the operation of lifting the conducting shoe portion I06 up out of the circuit breaking aperture I08, an edge I I I of the insulating disk is brought into engagement with the cam slope I05 of the contact finger, thereby camming the extremity of the finger up out of the aperture I08 in the continued motion of the rotor, this edge III of insulating material being positioned even with or extending beyond the adjacent edge of the conducting-disk, so that the insulating material engages the cam portion I05 the circuit and the other conducting finger to make the circuit, with a relatively short time interval intervening. For example, Figure 10 illustrates that the conducting fingers Fla-41b interrupt the circuit of the timer motor for a two minute interval shortly after the start of the cycle, and then a little later on again interrupt the circuit of the timer motor for a one minute interval. The timer motor is the motor 3I which drives the present automatic timer.

Figure 10 is a chart illustrating the time and sequence of the circuit-making and breaking operations performed by each of the contact fingers 9| to 98 inclusive, during a complete cycle of the timer. In the illustrated embodiment, the complete cycle requires sixty minutes, the rotor making one complete revolution in this length of time. The sixty minute scale of the cycle appears along the upper edge of Figure 10. The various steps to be performed in a particular washing machine, and the time cycle of these steps, may vary widely depending upon the desire of the washing machine manufacturer. Hence, it will be understood that Figure 10 merely illustrates one typical set of operating conditions. For example, the contact finger 92 is connected with the control apparatus which is effective to cause agitation of the clothes; the contact finger 93 is connected with the control apparatus which is effective to cause spinning of the clothes; the contact finger 94 is connected with the control apparatus which is effective to cause the spraying of the water into the machine, etc. Each of these devices has a common connection with the other side of the supply line (Figure 1), and hence when a circuit is completed for that control device through its respective contact finger the control device is energized, and, under ordinary operating conditions, remains energized for the time interval represented by the chart of Figure 10. However, any and all of the circuits through the contact fingers BI to 98, inclusive, are subject to the master switch I5, I5 which responds to the manual actuating knob 52, as previously stated. Thus, if at any time during the operation of the washing machine, the housewife should decide to stop the entire operation she merely has to push inwardly on the knob 52. Similarly, if she wishes to restore the timer to a normal inert position with all operating parts standing inert, she merely has to revolve the rotor in a clockwise direction, through the medium of the knob 52, for restoring the pointer 54 back to its normal position. Furthermore, if the housewife desires to skip any step or steps in the operating cycle, or to shorten such step or steps, she merely has to thrust the control knob 52 inwardly and then rotate the knob forwardly in a clockwise direction through the necessary range of movement to effect such skipping or shortening of the particular step or steps. When the timer gets back to its normal or inert position at the end of the cycle, it automatically interrupts the circuit of the timer motor 3| so that operation thereof ceases. To restart the timer motor 3| for actuating the timer through another operating cycle, the housewife only needs to push the knob 52 inwardly and to rotate it a short distance for bringing the pointer 54 to the starting or on" position, thus reenergizing the motor 3|.

Figures 11 to 15 inclusive illustrate a modified construction of automatic timer. This modified construction is capable of effecting reversals in one or more of the circuit connections; for ex assess 1 ample, it may be arranged to reverse the direc tion of rotation of the main drive motor for intermittently reversing the rotation of the cylinder in the washing of the clothes, or for re tating the cylinder in one direction during the washing of the clothes, and rotating it in the opposite direction during the spinning of the clothes. Another arrangement using a reversible motor is to have a ratchet or over-running clutch transmit one direction of drive to an agitator or the like, and to have a separate ratchet or over-running clutch transmit the other direction of drive to a spinner or the like. This modified construction of timer also employs an improved arrangement of raised humps at each circuit breaking aperture in the rotor, whereby to establish a circuit breaking gap between the corn tact finger and the conducting disk without the necessity of having the contact finger move be yond the main plane of the conducting disk, Figure 11 illustrates the front lower portion of such modified construction, there being no necessity of illustrating the upper portion because in this form of the device all of the contact fingers only engage the lower halves of the front and rear sides of the rotor. The front group of con tact fingers comprise the pair of superposed fingers I2Iw--I2Ib, the next inner finger I22, and the innermost finger I26. The rear group of contact fingers shown by the dotted represen tation of their terminal screws, are designated I24, I25 and I2'I'. The terminal 23 corresponds to the terminal 11 of the preceding embodiment, this terminal having connection with one side of the supply line, and conducting the supply potential through the master switch contacts I5, 16 and through spring washer l2, etc., to the front conducting disk 42' of the rotor, this ar rangement being the same as that previously described, The other side of the supply line con nects through conductor I3I leading to the spring contact finger I24 (Figure 12) which bears against the rear conducting disk 43 of the rotor. Thus, one side of the supply line is connected. through the knob controlled master switch with the front conducting disk of the rotor. and the other side of the supply line is connected through the spring contact finger I24 with the rear con ducting disk of the rotor. As shown in Figure the spring contact finger I24 is also arranged to function as a spring detent for establishing releasable detent engagement with the rotor at one or more angular points. At these points, apertures I33 are formed in the rear conducting disk 43, and the front and rear edges oi these apertures are formed with raised lips 234, which. form a relatively deep pocket for receiving the rounded end I24 of the contact finger IN:

The superposed contact fingers I2Io and little both track on the same radial trackway on the front conducting disk 42'. Thus, both these fingers respond in sequence to each of the on cult making apertures I01 and to each of the circuit breaking apertures I08 formed in this single trackway. A switch knob I31 mounted on the lower portion of the timer actuates a simple switch device which either connects or discon nects the contact fingers I'2I1a, I252) to or from each other. A contact stud I 2Ic projects outwardly from the lower end of the contact spring I2Ia, and a contact stud I2id similarly pro jects outwardly from the lower end of the con tact spring I 2Ib. Both of these studs are formed with conical heads, and arranged to snap into and out of bridging engagement between these iii ELY. n?

conical heads is a switch blade which is adapte to he oscillated our the full line position to dotted line position and back, through the manipmation or the knob Hi. When the lrnoh is in the Soak position indi sated Figure ll, the switch blade occupies the full line bridging position illustrated in Figure 12, and when the knob occupies the dotted line Wash position the switch blade like-= wise occupies the dotted line position {Figure 3.2) where the bridging connection between the contact studs is interrupted A circuit conductor t ll has permanent connection with contact finger iZZia through the terminal stud iZlc or other termiiiiai it will he apparent that when. the control knob ital and switch blade are in their full line positions he breaking of the circuit through conductor Mi is ever he the contact whenever one of; these contact fingers is in a circuit-breaking aperture iil8"the other contact finger is in a circuit-making aperture llll" in direct contact with the conducting disk and hence no circuit interruption occursr WGVGI, when the knob it? and blade I38 are moved to their dotted line position, the circuit through conductor ti t is interrupted ci :oit breaking apertures Hill in the front conducting disk Z2. At the end of the operating cycle both contact fingers tile and litt e rest on the front insulating disk M. As shown in Figure ii, a branch conductor." extends from conductor MI to one side of the timer motor iii,

from conductor I'll to ll lined wate con trol lgttl to the Hill? water control lot, speotively.

Referring to 13, another switch finch t lt adjacent to the other oi the er a winch. performs switching function with respect to the Hot water contact finger which bears against the front conducting disk 42* and the Mixed water contact which against the rear conducting disk e -3. A contact stud ililic projects rorwardlgr the lower the contact stud lit, and a contact spring iltic projects forwardly from the lower of the contact l2 the contact stud having a conical head fort a. third contact stud ital is disposed adjacent to the contact stud these two studs be ng engaged alternately by the lower portion hill, of the switch olade as indicated by dotted line and oil re positions. In such shifting of the switch these two positions, the ai -shape Hill. of the switch blade iner y one side to the other of the conical contact he always d nt with tin contact head in the sl of the control k r b Ml between the *1 1. water and tr I feed in Figure ll.

water positions illust ductor extends contact r contact stud 5250 to the It listed water contro the other terminal. which co "with conductor has connection r terminal of the other terminal of conductor l l 'i. These sist of solenoid r govern the admission of a and cold to the govern admission of to the washing ater control These well known in the art of automatic washing machines, and need not be illustrated in detail.

The drive motor I51 which drives the washing or spinning parts of the machine is of a type such as can be reversed by the interchanging or reversing of electrical connections. For example, in the case of a direct current motor, such reversal may be effected by reversing the field relatively to the armature or vice versa. In the case of an alternating current motor, such as we have herein shown, such can be effected by reversing the relation of the field starting coil to the field running coil at the time the motor is started, particularly in split-phase motors. In Figures 11 and 14, the drive motor I51 is shown as having the two terminals or its field starting coil I82 connected through conductors I58 and I59 with the a: and the 1/ sides of the supply line respectively; also as having the terminals of the field running coil I83 connected through conductors I6I and I62 with the contact fingers I22 and I21 respectively. The manner in which the automatic reversals of the drive motor I57 are effected will be more readily apparent after first describing the modified construction of the rotor and the manner in which the contact fingers I22 and I21 transpose contact from the front conducting disk to the back conducting disk and vice versa.

Referring to Figure 14, the upper sectioned portion of this figure represents a developed section taken on the relatively small radius of the inner contact fingers I26 and I21, and the lower sectioned portion of this figure represents a developed section taken on the larger radius of the intermediate contact fingers I22 and I25. The lower portion of the figure is of greater length than the upper portion because of the greater radius of the intermediate track-ways on which the intermediate contact fingers I2 and I25 ride. Upper and lower time scales are associated with each upper and lower sectionof the figure to indicate the time phase of the front and back contact fingers, these time scales being synchronized with the timing cycle chart of Figure 15 showing the time sequence of the different operations. It will be noted that in this embodiment the cycle is completed in 40 minutes.

In the modified construction of rotor, there is no intervening air space between the conducting disks 42' and 43, but, instead, these two disks are secured back to, back against an intervening supporting disk I1I composed of insulating material. The outer insultating disks H, 45 are composed of fiber, vulcanite or any other suitable insulating material, the same as in the preceding embodiment, and have circuit-making slots or apertures I01, substantially the same as previously described. With regard to the circuitbreaking apertures I 08', these differ from the preceding embodiment in that the conducting disk 42 or 43 is formed with a raised hump I13 at the leading end of each of these circuitbreaking apertures. Each hump is of a height such that after the extremity of the'contact finger has snapped down oil the hump and into engagement with the adjacent insulating surface, an air gap I14 intervenes between the inner edge of the hump and the contact finger, as illustrated by the circuit reversing position of the contact finger I21 in the upper portion of Figure 14, this air gap I14 being of ample length to extinguish any slight are which might be drawn at the instant of separation.

In order to eflect the electrical reversals previously described, the intervening body of insulation I1I is formed with openings or slots I16 which extend entirely through the body from the front conducting plate to the back conducting plate. These through openings I16 are disposed in those trackways on which ride the front contact finger I22 and the back contact finger I21, these contact fingers being electrically connected with the running coil I83 of the motor I51 through the conductors I5I and I62. Referring to the cyclical chart of Figure 15, one direction of rotation of the drive motor may be considered as the Pulsate interval, and the other direction of rotation of the motor may be considered as the Spin" interval. It will be noted that after a minute pulsating interval, the motor is stopped for a brief time, and is then driven in the reverse direction {or a one and one-half 20 minute spinning interval. Thereafter, a three and one-half minute pulsating interval follows the admission of mixed water, and following that pulsating interval the motor is again reversed for a one and one-half minute spinning interval. These two reverse drive intervals are indicated by the first two through openings I16 extending entirely through the intervening insulating disk I1 I. The dotted line position of contact finger I21 shows this finger as having snapped through the first opening I16, and as having completed its one and one-half minute interval of engagement on the conducting disk 42', at which time it has just snapped into the circuit-breaking aperture I88 in this disk. Similarly, the dotted line position of contact finger I22 represents the same step in the cycle, this point corresponding to the termination ofthe one and one-half minute spinnir interval which immediately follows the 10 r nute pulsating interval. It will be noted that this reversing operation, the contact finger which is normally individual to the con ducting disk 53', has its position transposed so that it establishes contact with the opposite conducting disk 42; and, similarly, the contact finger I22, which is normally individual to the conducting disk :2, has its position transposed so that it makes contact with the opposite conducting disk 63. In order to differentiate the two sides of the supply line, which is'usually an alternating current line, we have referred to one side as the x side, and to the other side as the 3; side. As previously described, the 1: side of the line is normally connected to the front conducting disk 42' through the master switch contacts 15, 16, as we have illustrated in duplicate in Figure 14, associated with the upper and lower portions of this figure. The 1 side of the ine is connected with the rear conducting disk 43' through the contact finger I24, as is also indicated in duplicate.

The drive motor I51, which is preferably of the split-phase type, although any single phase reversible motor may be used, comprises a rotor I8I, a field starting coil I82, and a field running coil I83. The motor also comprises a relay I85, the winding of which is connected in series with the field running coil I83, and the armature of which is connected in series through a front contact with the field starting coil I62. The supply line is connected with the field starting coil through the armature of the relay I85. The field running coil I63 is connected through conductors I6I and I 62 with the contact fingers I22 and I21, thewinding or the relay I85 being in series with the running coil. The relay is so biased that the relatively high starting current which flows through the running coil I83 at the instant of starting energizes the relay suificiently to close the circuit of the field starting coil 32 through the armature and front contact, but after the motor has come up to speed the reduc tion of current through the relay winding lets the armature drop back to open circuit position. In the normal running of the motor, the terminal end 16! is connected through contact finger I22 with the front conducting dish d2, which places the x side of the line on this terminal of the motor, and, correspondingly, the terminal end I62 is connected through contact finger l2! with the rear conducting disk 43, which places the y side of the line on this terminal end of the motor. When the reversing operation occurs, as indicated by the dotted line positions of the contact fingers I22 and I21, the circuit connections are reversed so that the terminal end I6! is then connected through the rear disk 43 with the 3 side of the line, and the terminal end I62 is connected through the front disk 42' with the a: side of the line.

While we have illustrated and described what we regard to be the preferred embodiments of our invention, nevertheless it will be understood that such are merely exemplary and that numerous modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention.

We claim:

1. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a. predetermined sequence, the combination of a ro tor, means for driving said rotor, a contact main her bearing on said rotor, said rotor comprising a conducting surface and an insulating surface overly ng portions of said conducting surface, oir cuiting-closing apertures in said insiuating sur face through which said contact mom is adapted to move to establish a circuit connectlon with said conducting surface, and circuitopening apertures in said conducting surface through which said contact members are adapted to move to break the circuit connection with conducting surface 2. In an automatic electric timer for perform ing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a. rotor, time driven means for driving said rotor, a contact hearing against said rotor, s: d rotor comprising a conducting; plate, an insu ing plate overlying said conducting plate, ctr cult-closing apertures in said insulating plate through which said contact finger is adapted to snap down into clrcuit-closing engagement with said conducting plate, circuit-openine apertures in said conducting plate through which said con-- tact finger is adapted to snap into circuit-open ing position separated from the opposite side oi said conducting plate by an air gap, and insulating shoulders on said insulating plate for moving said contact finger out of said circuit-opening apertures without permitting said contact finger to engage said conducting plate at such time.

3. In an automatic electric timer for performing a plur ity of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination a rotor, means for driving said rotor, contact fingers bearing against said rotor, said rotor com prising two axially spaced conducting disks, insulatin disks overlying the outer sides of said conducting disks, circuit-closing apertures in said insulating disks through which said contact sire aeoacec gers snapinwardly into circuit-closing engage ment with said conducting disks, and circuitopening apertures in said conducting disks through which said contact fingers snap inwardly into circuit-opening positions between said conducting disks and separated from the in. nor sides of said conducting disks by air gaps.

4. In an automatic electric timer for governing the sequence of operations in an electric wash ing machine or the like, the combination of a rotor, time governed means for driving said ro tor at a timed rate, said rotor comprising front and rear axially spaced conducting disks sep arated by an air space, front and rear insulating dislrs overlying outer sides of said front and rear conducting disks, front and rear sets of contact lingers hearing against the outer sides of said front and rear sets of disks respectively, circuit closing apertures said insulating disks through which said contact fingers are adapted to snap inwardly into circuit-closing engagement with said conducting disks, and circuit-opening apertures in. said conductingdisks through which contact fingers are adapted to snap inwardly into circuit-opening positions in said air space.

5. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor at a timed rate, a contact member-:- hearing' on said rotor, said rotor comprising a conducting surface and an insulat surface over! ing portions of conducting surface, circuit closing apertures in said insulat ins; niece and circuit opening apertui es in said conducting surface through which said contact member is adapted to move for first establishing circuit connection with said conducting surface X then breaking circuit connection, a sch connects circuit with said contact ruiser wit said conducting surface, a actuated member operative so impart motion to said rotor, and means for actuating said switch as a prerequisite to the transmission oi motion from said manually actuated member to said rotor.

of electrical switching operations in a pre sequence, c wination of ro.w tor, tin e responsive means 1r driving said rotor at a timed rate, a. contact finger hearing: on said. rotor, rotor conducting plate, an insulating plate overlying s d conductin plate, circuif closi rt 11 insulating plate through which said contact nger is adopt ed to snap down into circuit clcsing with said. conducting plate, and'circuit opening apertures in said e through which said contact finger is adapted to snap into eircuit-opening position separated in said. ducting plate by air gap, a master switch having circuit connection with said corite ct fingel and said conduc plate, a manuallyaetu" ated nieinoer operative to impart motion aid rotor, and means i r ca as to be moved to open. circuit position by s M us. 3 member as a prerequisite to the manually esion motion. said inher to said rotor.

"i. in. an automatic rality oi sw. determined sequence,

tron

through circiut motion of said rotor, a. master SW11," control the connections 6. In an automatic timer for performing a pluopening and closing devices, a manually actuated knob mounted for rotating and shifting movement, said knob being adapted to transmit setting motion to said rotor upon rotation of said knob, and means requiring shifting motion of said knob and the actuation of said master switch thereby before said rotary motion is operative to actuate said rotor.

8. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations, the combination of a rotor, circuit opening and closing devices responsive to the rotation of said rotor, an electric motoi operatively connected to drive said rotor, a manually actuated member operative to impart setting motion to said rotor, and cooperating ratchet mechanisms interposed between said electric motor and said rotor, and interposed between said manually actuated member and said rotor, whereby said manually actuated member is only capable of transmitting motion to said rotor in one direction.

9. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor at a timed rate, said rotor comprising a conducting surface and an insulating surface, said insulating surface overlying portions of said conducting surface, circuit closing apertures in said insulating surface and circuit opening apertures in said conducting surface, and contact fingers riding on said rotor for movement into and out of said apertures, said contact fingers including a pair of cooperating contact fingers riding on different trackways on said rotor and electrically connected together, said latter contact fingers and the apertures associated therewith being arranged to cause said fingers to perform a controlling operation on a common circuit of very short time duration.

10. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor at a timed rate, said rotor comprising a front conducting disk and a front insulating disk superposed thereon, and also comprising a rear conducting disk and a rear insulating disk superposed thereon, circuit closing apertures in said insulating disks, circuit opening apertures in said conducting disks, and front and rear groups of contact fingers engaging said front and rear disks and cooperating with said apertures, said contact fingers extending substantially tangentially to their respective circular trackways on said front and rear disks.

11. In an automatic electric timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor at a controlled rate, said rotor comprising a front conducting disk and a front insulating disk, and also comprising a rear conducting disk and a rear insulating disk, a front set of contact fingers normally bearing on said front disks, a rear set of contact fingers normally bearing on said rear disks, circuit closing apertures in said insulating disks through which said contact fingers are adapted to move into circuit closing engagement with said conducting disks, circuit opening apertures in said conducting disks through which said contact fingers are adapted to move into circuit opening position separated from said conducting disks, and circuit-reversing openings in said rotor through which one of said front contact fingers engages said rear conducting disk, and one of said rear contact fingers engages said front conducting disk.

12. In an automatic timer for performing electrical switching operations, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor, said rotor comprising first and second conducting plates, insulating media overlying portions of said conducting plates, a first contact member bearing on said rotor and normally engaging said first conducting plate, a second contact member bearing on said rotor and normally engaging said second conducting plate, and means for effecting a transposition whereby said first contact member engages said second conducting plate and said second contact member engages said first conducting plate.

13. In an automatic timer for performing electrical switching operations, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor, a contact member bearing on said rotor, said rot-or comprising a conducting surface and an insulating surface overlying portions of said conducting surface, circuit closing apertures in said insulating surface through which said contact member is adapted to move to establish a circuit connection with said conducting surface, circuit opening apertures in said conducting surface through which said contact member is adapted to move to break the circuit connection with said conducting surface, and a raised portion formed at one margin of one of said circuit opening apertures for assisting in the breaking of the circuit connection between said aperture and said contact member.

14. In an automatic electric timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor at a timed rate, contact fingers bearing against said rotor, said rotor comprising a conducting disk and an insulating disk overlying said conducting disk, circuit closing apertures in said insulating disk to which said contact fingers move into circuit closing engagement with said conducting disk, circuit opening apertures in said conducting disk through which said contact fingers move into circuit opening positions out of engagement with said conducting disk, and a raised hump formed in said conducting disk at the leading edge of each circuit-opening aperture and over which said contact fingers are adapted to snap, each hump defining a circuit breaking gap between the inner edge of the hump and the back surface of the conducting disk, which circuit breaking gap is of greater depth than the extremity of the coacting contact finger.

15. In an automatic electric timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor, means for driving said rotor, said rotor comprising a conducting surface and an insulating surface, said insulating surface overlying portions of said conducting surface, circuit closing apertures in said insulating surface, circuit opening apertures in said conducting surface, contact fingers riding on said rotor and cooperating with said apertures, said contact fingers including a lower and an upper contact finger in superposed relation both riding on the same trackway of said rotor and cooperating sequentially with the apertures in said trackway, and a manual switch controlling a circuit connection between said latter contact fingers.

16. In automatic timing mechanism for conan electric circuit, the combination of a time driven rotor comprising two spaced conducting plates and two coacting contact fingers adapted for connection with said circuit, one finger being normally individual to one plate and the other finger being normally individual to the other plate, and apertures in said plates coacting with said contact fingers for efiecting a reversal in said electric circuit by causing each contact finger to transfer its engagement to the plate individual to the other contact finger.

17. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination oi rotor means, means for driving said rotor means, circuit controlling devices responsiveto the motion of said rotor, a master switch adapted to govern the connections through said circuit controlling devices, a manually actuated knob mounted for rotating and shifting movements, said rotating movement being operable to transmit, setting motion to said rotor, said shifting movement being operative to actuate said master switch, and means requiring that said shifting movement occur first, with consequent actuation of. said master switch, before rotating movement of said knob is operative to actuate said rotor means.

18. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence,.the combination of rotor means, means for driving said rotor means, circuit controlling devices responsive to the motion of said rotor means, a master switch adapted to govern the connections through said circuit controlling devices, a manually actuated knob capable of movement in a first plane for actuating said master switch and capable of movement in a second plane for transmitting setting motion to said rotor means, and means requiring that said knob be moved in said first plane for actuating said master switch before movement in said second plane is operative to actuate said rotor means.

19. In an automatic timer for performing a plurality of electrical switching operations in a predetermined sequence, the combination of a rotor device, means for driving said rotor device, circuit controlling apparatus responsive to said rotor device, a control switch device, a manually actuated control member capable of shifting movement and rotary movement, means for transmitting actuating motion to said control switch device when said control member is shii'ted and for transmitting rotary motion to said rotor device when said control member is rotated, and means for compelling one of said devices to be actuated in advance of the other.

WILLIAM F. GALLAGHER. ALFRED W. GARDES. 

